Cutoff mechanism for headers



Sept. 2, 1941. B. D. RIDER GUTOFF MECHANISM FOR HEADERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 31A m5 1107? WIN RIDE/P ATTORNEYS Filed Feb. 21, 1940 Sept. 2, 1941. B. D. RIDER CUTOFF MECHANISM FOR HEADERS Filed Feb. 21, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 a M .m 4 s +m mm RD Y n ma W m mm A M Patented Sept. 2, 1941 CU'l'Ol-F MECHANISM FOR HEADERS Blake Dorwln Rider, llilln, Ohio, assignmto The National Machinery 00., Timn, Ohio, a col-pontion of Ohio Application February 21, 1940, sci-m No. 320,151 1': Claims. (01. 140-144) This invention relates to metal working machines of the type adapted to make bolts or other cold headed work from rod or wire. More particularly the invention relates to improved means for gripping a blank while being cut off from a length of rod and transferring the severed blank to a die.

' An effective and successful type of cold header is illustrated in Patent No. 1,856,028 which issued April 26, 1932, to W. L. Clouse. Generally speaking, machines of this variety include a stationary die, a heading tool mounted on a header slide and movable toward and away from the die to effect the desired upsetting of the metal of the blank, means for feeding a rod through the machine, and means for cutting oil the rod into blanks of the desired lengths and transferring the severed blanks into proper position relative to the die so that they may be headed by the blow of the heading-tool.

In order to obtain square and parallel ends on the blanks it has been found to be desirable to prevent the blank from deflecting sidewise while being severed by the shearing tool and the present invention includes as one of its primary objects the provision of means for insuring square ended blanks in a cold header or similar apparatus.

Other objects of my invention are: to provide means for preventing bending of the stock during the shearing operation and thus insuring square ends; to provide a blank gripping mechanism for cold headers which is rigidly locked in gripping position and which also holds the severed blank during transfer to the die; to provide a gripping finger for cold headers which firmly holds the blank during the shearing operation and transfer to the die and then releases the blank to permit the header tool to do its work; to provide a blank gripping finger mechanism for machines of the type described by which extremely short blanks can be firmly held against bending during severing and still be pushed into the die by the heading tool; to provide a blank gripper which will hold the blanks sumciently firmly to insure square cut ends but which may bemanually operated to release the'blank at any point in its cycle; to provide a simple, rugged and eificient blank gripping and transfer finger mechanism for metal working machines of the cold heading type.

The above noted objects of my invention will appear from the following description of several embodiments thereof, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a fragmentary, somewhat diagrammatic, illustrative view of a cold header equipped with my improved blank handling mechanism.

Figure 2 is an enlarged arcs-sectional elevation taken substantially on line 2-2 of Figure 1 and illustrating a single finger ripp r mechanism with the finger pping the blank after tive view of my improved cut-off mechanism,

the parts being shown in the positions they assume just prior to severing a blank.

Figure 5 is a view generally similar to Figure 4 but with certain parts omitted for the sake of simplicity of illustration, showingthe position of the parts after the blank has been severed and has been transferred into alignment with the stationary die.

Figure 6 is a view generally similar to Figure 5 but showing the gripping finger released and the shearing tool being retracted toward the position shown in Figure 4.

Figure '1 is a view generally similar to Figure 2 but illustrating my double finger arrangement which is particularly adapted for handling very short blanks, the mechanism having the fingers locked in gripping position against the blank and the shear just ready to cut.

Figure 8 is an enlarged fragmentary view taken on line 8-8 of Figure 7 and illustrating the shearing tool and double gripping finger.

Figure 9 is a view generally similar to Figures 5 and 6 but illustrating the double gripping finger arrangement, the mechanism being just ready to sever a blank.

Figure 10 is a view similar to Figure 9 but illustrating the parts as they appear after the blank has been severed and transferred into both fingers have been released and the shearing knife has started back toward the position shown in Figure 9.

Figure 12 is a fragmentary view similar to Figures 2 and 7 showing a modified grippin finger lock and release mechanism.

In Figure 1 the die end of acold heading ma chine is illustrated. The main frame structure i carries suitable guideways in which the header slide 2 has reciprocating movement. The die rest 3 supports die blocks 4 and the heading tool 5 is carried by the header slide 2. The rod or wire stock 3 may be fed to the machine by any suitable means, such as feed rolls I, and projects through a suitable aperture or quill 4 in the die uring stop, shearing the measured length of stock from the rod by an oscillating shear, carrying the severed blank over into position in line with I a suitable die supported in the die blocks 4, advancing the header slide 2 and thejheading tool 5 to start the blank into the die in the blocks 4, releasing and withdrawing the transfer mechanism, and completing the stroke of the header slide 2. This cycle is repeated continuously as long as the machine is in operation.

As noted in the statement of objects of my invention, it is desirable to cut oil? the blanks in such a manner that their ends are perfectly square. When a shearing cutter is employed to sever the blanks from the rod there is a tendency for the end of the rod which projects through the quill 4 in the die blocks 4 to bend, resulting in unsquared ends. By firmly gripping the projecting blank, during the shearing operation, between the shearing tool 9 and the gripping and carry-over finger Hi, this bending is effectively prevented. In Figure 2, the shearing tool 9 is carried by an arm Ii mounted on and rotatable with a shaft I2. An arm I3 is also secured to the shaft l2 and carries at its end a cam roller i4. The shear cam I5 is secured to the cam shaft l6 and is contoured to give the desired oscillatory movement to the arm ii and the tool 9.

The gripping finger I0 is carried on a lever III which is pivotally mounted on the shearing arm II at i1 and a link i8 connects the end of the lever ill to one end of an arm [9. The opposite end of arm is is pivotally mounted on the frame of the machine on shaft 20. A finger actuating cam 2i is mounted on the shaft i6 and rotates with this shaft and with the shear cam IS. The 'cam 2| engages a follower roller 22 which is carried by the arm is intermediate its ends and it will be seen that rotation of the cam 2i will cause the finger lever l0 and the gripping finger iii to move into and out of blank gripping position (in Fig. 2 the fingr i0 is shown holding a blank 23 against the shearing tool 9) In order positively to lock the gripping finger in position to support the blank during the shearing operation I provide a pivoted locking lever 24 which is mounted on a pin 25 carried by the arm ii. The upper end 26 of the lever 24 engages the curved surface 21 of the finger arm iii, a spring 28 being secured to the lower end 29 of the lever 24 and being anchored at 30 to the stationary cam block member 3|. It

-will be seen that the spring 28 exerts a force tending at all times to rotate the lever 24 in counterclockwise direction about its supporting pin 25 and to hold the lower end 29 of the lever 24 in engagement with the irregular cam surface 32 of the cam block 3| or a roller, as seen in Figure 12. The operation of the finger looking mechanism is best seen in Figures 4, 5 and 6.

In Figures 5 and 6 the shear cam l5 and the shear operating arm and rollers i3 and I4 have been omitted in order to show the finger operating mechanism more clearly.

Referring to Figure 4, rotation of the cam IS in. counterclockwise direction, as indicated by the arrow, will cause the lever I3 to swing the arm ii and the cutter 3 to the right to shear the blank 23 from the rod stock. The severed blank is carried over, :by continued movement of the arm ll, into alignment with .the die aperture 33 in the solid die 33 (as seen in Fig. 2). After the header strikes and starts the-blank into the die aperture 33, continued rotation of the cam i5 acts to permit the lever II to be retracted by a spring or other suitable means (not shown) back into the position shown in Figure 4, ready to grip and sever another blank. 3

In Figure 4 the arm ii is just ready to move in clockwise direction to cause the tool 8 to sever the blank 23 from the rod. During this severing operation the blank is held firmly against the face of the tool 9 and is prevented from bending by the gripping action of the finger In which, with its supporting lever I0, is positively held against movement away from the tool 9 by means of the locking lever 24. As is seen in Figure 4, the upper end 26 of the lever 24 engages the curved surface 21 of the finger arm Ill and these two surfaces 23 and 21 are so contoured that a wedging action is obtained between the end of the locking lever 24 and the arm in which positively prevents any movement of the finger I0 away from the tool 9 during the severing operation. The lever 24, of course, moves with the arm Ii during the blank severing stroke and the cam face 32 of the cam block 3i is so contoured that, during the cut-off movement of the arm Ii and at least a part of the carry-over movement thereof, the locking relation of the lever 24 with the finger arm ill will be maintained. However, by the time the blank 23 has been aligned with the die aperture 33 (as seen in Fig. 5) the locking lever 24 will have been moved on its pivotal support, due to the action of the cam face 32 against the lower end 29 of the lever, into the position shown in Figure 5 where the upper end 26 has moved out of its locking position in engagement with the lever Ill. The finger III, however, still holds the blank against the shear blade 9. As will appear more fully later, a spring mechanism is provided which maintains the finger ill in resilient gripping engagement with the blank 23 except when it is moved out of such gripping engagement by the action of the cam 2|.

Further rotation of the cams l5 and 2| will cause the arm Ii to start its return stroke. (as seen in Fig. 6) and move the finger l0 away from and clear of the blank 23. This movement, however, does not occur until after the header has started the blank into the die aperture. The position of the locking lever 24 is controlled by the cam face 32 which is contoured so that lever 24 will be so located that it will not interfere with the opening movement of the finger it. As the retracting motion of the arm ll continues the cam 2i will cause the finger iii to move toward the shear blade 9 but will keep it out of positive gripping position until after the arm ii has been completely retracted and a new length of, stock has been fed through the quill 4'. During this movement the locking lever 24 is controlled by the cam face 32 and the spring 28 and, after the new blank has been fed through thequill,thecamface32andsprlng 28wlll cause the end 25 of the locking lever 24 to wedge in against the surface 21 of the'lever l, thus locking the gripping finger in such a manner that bending of the stock during severing is positively prevented.

Continued operation of the mechanism will effect a repeating cycle'of stock gripping, locking, severing, transferring into alignment with the die, releasing of the gripping and transfer mechanism and retracting thereof to start a new c ole.

In the above described embodiment of my invention a single gripping finger is employed. Thisfingenasisseeninl 'igure 3,1smadesufiiciently wide at the face which engages the stock to support eifectively the blank and prevent bending thereof during shearing. In some cases, however, where extremely short blanks are being used, a single gripping finger cannot be used because such a single gripping finger would be Y substantially as wide as thelength of the stock.

Under such circumstances, if the stock were carried over into alignment with the die aperture 33 by such a finger, the heading tool could not start the blank into the die aperture 33 because the blank would not extend out beyond the face of the gripping finger and could not be engaged by the heading tool. In order to facilitate the square cutting .of very short blanks I have provided the embodiment of my invention shown in Figures 7 to 11 inclusive. In this arrangement a double finger construction is employed, one

levers and 35' respectively, each of which is pivotally supported on the arm if by the pin 36. A tension spring 31 connects the end of the carry-over finger lever 35' to the arm l9 and the link 38 connects the end of the locking finger 'lever 36' to the end of the arm l9. Aside from the provision of the double finger arrangement the construction is substantially the same as that shown in Figures 2 to 6 inclusive.

In Figure 9 both of the fingers 34 alnd'35 act together to engage the blank 23 which is about to be severed. The end 26 of the locking lever 24 is both of these levers and thus both fingers 36 and 35 are locked against moving away from the stock and bending thereof during the severing operation is prevented. After the blank is severed the arm ii continues to move in clockwise direction into the position shown in Figure 10 where the blank is aligned with the die aperture 33. During this movement of the arm ii the cam face 32 acts on the locking lever 25 to swing its locking end 26 out of locking position into the position shown in Figure 10. After the lever 2% has been unlocked the cam 2! acts, during movement from the position of Figure 9 into that of Figure 10, to lift the arm l9 suflieiently to cause the link 38 to move the lever 36' and disengage the locking finger at from the blank. During this operation, however, the carry-over finger 35 remains in engagement with the blank and holds it in proper location in alignment with the die aperture 33. The operation of the machine is so timed that after the locking finger 35 has been moved away (into the position shown in Figure 10) the header engages the projecting end of the blank and starts it into the die. This enga ement of the header with the blank is permitted due to the fact that the finger 31 has been moved out of engagement with the blank and due to the fact that the end of the tool 9 is only approximately one-half the combined width of the fingers 34 and 35 (see Fig. 8). As soon as the blank has entered the die aperture 33 the cams 2| and I5 coact to cause the pivot pin 39, which projects through a slotted open,- ing 40 in the end of the lever 35', to engage the top of the slot ll (as is seen in Figures 10 and 11) and to move both the carry-over finger 35 and locking finger 3| down away from the blank into the position shown in Figure 11. The arm H is now being retracted and the parts are returned to the position shown in Figure 9.

With this arrangement it will be seen that, by providing a double or split finger construction, very short blanks can be cut off while being held rigidly against bending, transferred into alignment with the die opening, the outside part of after it has been severed from the rod, but before I it has been formed. In order to permit this I provide a manual release mechanism whereby the gripping finger or fingers can be unlocked and disengaged from the blank atany point in the cycle of operation. This mechanism is best seen in Figures 2 and 7. An arm M is secured to the shaft 20 and operates with the lever 59. Connected to this arm 4| is a rod 42 which extends horizontally and passes through and is supported in the frame portion 63 of the machine. A spring 44 is maintained in compression between a collar 45, secured on the rod 42, and the frame member 43, and this spring at all times exerts a force tending to rotate the arms GI and B9 in clockwise direction which in turn tends to cause the gripping finger, or fingers, to move in blank gripping direction. The spring 44 also causes the cam follower roller 22 to remain in engagement with the face of the cam 2| (or cam 2i inthe case of the double finger mechanism). The free end of the rod 42 extends out through the housing member 43 and is provided with adjustable stop nuts 42' at its outer end. The lower end of the release lever 45 is provided with an enlarged aperture 46', which fits over the rod 82, and is pivotally supported at 41 on a fixed bracket 48 secured to the housing member 53. A suitable handle 49 is preferably provided on the upper end of the-lever 66 and it will be seen that movement of this handle 49 in counterclockwise direction (Figs. 2 and 7) will cause the lower end of the lever 36 to engage the stop nut 42' and move the rod 42 to the right compressing the spring 44. This movement will be transmitted through the arm 5! and the shaft 28 to lift the arm 19 which in turn, through the connecting link 18 or 38, will swing the grippingfinger,

or fingers, away from the cutting shear 9 and release the ripping engagement of the fingers against the blank.

As the locking lever 24 may be in finger locking position when it is desired manually to release the gripping fingers, it is necessary first to unlock the lever 24 before the gripping mechanism is released and, to accomplish this, I provide a rod ll slidably mounted in an aperture extending through the cam block 3|. The left hand end (Fig. 7) of rod 5| is adapted to engage the lower end 29 of the lever 24 when said lever is in finger locking position and the right hand end of the rod 50 is engaged by an operating lever 5|, the lower end of'which is pivotally attached at 52 to the stationary block II. A link 53 connects the upper end of the lever II to the release lever 45 and it is seen that movement of the lever 45 to the left (Fig. 7) will cause the lever iii to push against the rod 50 and swing the locking lever 24 about its pivot 25 out of locking engagement with the finger or fingers.

By providing the adjustable nuts 42' on the rod 42 and by properly adjusting the clearance which is shown in Figure7 between the lower end of the lever 45 and the nuts 42", a lostmotion connection is provided whereby the initial movement of the lever 45 to the left will unlock the locking finger 24. After this movement has been completed the bottom end of the lever 46 will engage the nuts 42' and move therod 42 to swing the stock gripping finger out of gripping position thus permitting the blank to be removed. If desired, separate levers may be provided for operating the lock release and the finger release mechanism and it will be understood that the interconnecting means illustrated may be varied or modified to effect the desired manual release operation.

In Figure 12 the gripping finger i5 is locked in position by the locking lever 55. The upper end 55' of this lever engages the curved bottom portion of the finger Iii in the same manner as the locking lever 24 but the lower end of lever 55 is provided with a cam contoured surface 55" which is adapted to be engaged by the roller 55. A suitable shaft 51, fixed to the frame of the machine, supports the roller 55 and also carries the disengaging arm 55. This arm 58 is connected to and operable with the lever 5| which is similar to the lever 5| in the other views. A spring 59 is secured at one end to the lower end of locking lever 55 and made fast to the frame of the machine at 50. Thus, the spring 55 aland permit it to drop out or be removed. With my improved positively looked gripping fingers a square cut is assured on each end of each blank. With my double arrangement very short blanks can successfully be squarely sheared and properly transferredto and inserted into the die. The manual release hook-up gives-the operator complete control of the machine and permits him at any time to remove a blank for inspection or any other purpose.

Although I have described the illustrated embodiments of my invention in considerable detail it will be understood by those skilled in the art that numerous modifications and variations may be made in the form of apparatus utilized to carry out my invention. I do not, therefore, wish to be limited to the specific details herein shown and described but claim as my invention all embodiments thereof coming within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1; In a stock shearing and blank transferring mechanism, the combination of a shearing tool,

' a gripping finger adapted to hold the stock ways tends to move the upper end of lever 55 into locking engagement with the finger II. However, when the arm ll swings to transfer the work piece to the die the cam surface 55" of the lever engages the roller 55 and, as this roller is supported on a stationary mount, the upper end 55' will be kicked out of locking engagement with the finger iii. The operation is essentially the same as that described in referring to the other views of the drawings and, when it is desired manually to disengage the locking lever 55 the operating lever 5| is moved to the left causing the end of the lever 55 to engage the locking lever 55 below its pivotal support 5| on the arm ii and move it out of locking position relative to the finger Ill. The upper end of lever 5i is attached to the connecting link 53 in the same manner as illustrated in Figures 2 and '7, although this connection is not shown in Figure 12.

From the above description it will be seen that the operator may at any time move the lever 45 to the left and, if the gripping finger, or fingers, are engaging and holding the blank, they will be caused to move away from the blank against the shearing tool prior to and after shearing, means for positively and substantially unyieldingly locking said'gripping finger against movement away from said shearing tool during the shearing operation, means for releasing said positive lock, and means for moving said finger away from said shearing tool after said lock has been released.

2. In a stock shearing and blank transferring mechanism, a shearing tool, a support for said tool, means for actuating said shearing tool, a gripping finger carried by and movable with said shearing tool support, means for moving said finger toward and away from said tool, and means for locking said finger in unyielding grip- P ns position relative to said tool.

3. In a stock shearing and blank transferring mechanism of the type described, a shearing tool, a pivotally supported arm carrying said tool, a stock gripping finger mounted on said arm and movable thereon toward and away from said tool, means for imparting an oscillating movement to said arm, independent means for moving said finger relative to said tool, independent means for locking said finger in unyieldingly stock gripping position, and means, actuated by movement of said arm, for releasing said finger locking means.

4. In a stock shearing and blank transferring mechanism of the type described, a shearing tool. a pivotally supported arm carrying said tool, a stock gripping finger mounted on said arm and movable thereon toward and away from said tool, means for imparting oscillating movement to said am, independent means for moving said finger relative to said tool, a locking member adapted to lock said finger in stock gripping position, spring means tending to maintain said member in finger,locking position, and means. actuated by movement of said arm, for moving and locking member out of finger locking posi- 5. In apparatus of the type described, a shearing tool, a gripping finger, cam actuated means for operating said tool, cam actuated means for operating said finger in timed relation to the movement of said tool, and means for unyieldingly locking said finger against movement away 6. In stock shearing and blank transfer mechanism for cold headers or the like, a shearing tool, an arm carrying said tool, a shaft on which said arm is supported, means for oscillating said arm and tool on said shaft, a lever pivotally mounted on said arm and having a stock gripping finger adapted to hold a blank against said tool, means for moving said finger lever and finger independently of and in timed relation to the movement of said arm, a finger locking lever pivotally mounted on said arm, cam means associated with said finger locking lever, and spring means tending to move said locking lever into finger locking position, said cam means being adapted to move said locking lever out of finger locking position during a portion of the movement of said oscillating arm.

7. In stock shearing and blank transfer;-

mechanism for cold headers or the like, a shearing tool, an arm carrying said tool, a shaft on which said arm is supported, means for oscillating said arm and tool on said shaft, a lever pivotally mounted on said arm and having a stock gripping finger adapted to hold a blank against said tool, means for moving said finger lever and finger independently of and in timed relation to the movement of said arm, a finger locking lever pivotally mounted on said arm, cam means associated with said finger locking lever, spring -means tending to move said locking lever into finger locking position, said cam means being adapted to move said locking lever out of finger locking position during a portion of the movement of said oscillating arm, and means operable manually and independently of said arm and finger moving means for moving said locking lever out of finger locking position and move said finger out of stock gripping position.

8. In stock shearing and blank transferring mechanism for cold headers or the like, a shearing tool, a gripping finger, means for locking said finger against movement away from said tool, means for moving said tool and locked finger to shear and transfer a blank, means for operating said finger locking means and said tool moving means in a timed repeating cycle to grip, shear, transfer and release a series of blanks, and finger lock release means, manually operable at any point in said cycle when a blank is gripped, to release said lock and move said finger out of blank gripping position.

9. In stock shearing mechanism for cold headers or the like, a shearing tool, a gripping finger, means for substantially unyieldingly locking said finger against movement away from said tool, means for moving said tool and locked finger to shear a blank, and cam means for controlling the operation of said finger locking means and said tool moving means whereby they operate in a timed repeating cycle to grip, lock, shear and release a series of blanks.

10. In stock shearing and transferring mechanism for cold headers or the like, a shearing tool, a gripping finger adapted to hold a .blank in engagement with said tool, a finger operating cam, operating linkage between said cam and said finger, finger locking means adapted to lock said finger against releasing movement during a portion of the movement of said cam, and means, operable independently of said cam when a blank is gn'pped, for releasing said lock.

' 11. In apparatus of the type described, a gripping finger, power actuated means for moving said finger, locking means for holding said finger in gripping position, a rod connected to and extending from said finger moving means,

spring means exerting a force on said rod tending to move said finger in gripping direction, a

member positioned to engage said finger locking means when said finger locking means is in looking position, and manually operable means for first moving said member to unlock said finger and then moving said rod to move sai finger in releasing direction.

12. In blank gripping and transferring apparatus of the type described for cold headers or the like, a shearing tool, an arm carrying said tool and supported for oscillating movement, a stock carry-over finger, a stock gripping finger, a common support on said arm for said fingers, spring means tending to hold said fingers in gripping position, means for locking said fingers in gripping position, means for releasing said fingers from gripping position, and interconnecting means between said fingers whereby said releasing means will first move said gripping finger away from said tool and then move said carry-over finger away from said tool.

131 In apparatus for stock shearing and transferring of the type described, a shearing tool, a

carry-over finger and a gripping finger having a common pivotal support, means for holding a blank between both of said fingers and said tool during shearing action of said tool, means for moving said gripping finger a certain distance away from said blank after the blank is sheared while permitting the carry-over finger to hold the blank against the tool, and an interlocking connection between said fingers whereby further movement of said gripping finger away from the blank will also move. said carryover finger away from the blank.

14. In apparatus for stock shearing and transferring oi the type described, a shearing tool, a carry-over finger and a gripping finger having a common pivotal support, means for holding a blank between both of said fingers and said tool during shearing action of said tool, means for moving said grippingfinger a certain distance away from said blank after the blank is sheared while permitting the carry-over finger to hold the blank against the tool, an interlocking connection between said fingers whereby further movement of said gripping finger away from the blank will also move said carry-over finger away from the blank, and cam actuated means for operating said shearing tool and finger moving means in timed relation in a repeating cycle.

15- In apparatus for stock shearing and transferring of the type described, a shearing tool, a carry-over finger and a gripping finger having a common pivotal support, means for holding a blank between both of said fingers and said tool during shearing action of said tool, means for moving said gripping finger a certain distance away from said blank after the blank is sheared while permitting the carry-over finger to hold the blank against the tool, an interlocking connection between said fingers whereby further movement of said gripping finger away from the blank will also move said carry-over finger away from the blank, cam actuated means for operating said shearing tool and finger moving means in timed relation in a repeating cycle, and manually operable means for releasing both of said fingers at any point in saidv cycle when said fingers are in blank gripping position.

16. In apparatus of the type described, a shearing tool, a g ipping finger, cam actuated means for operating said tool to shear a length of stock, cam actuated means for operating said 17- In apparatus of the type described, a 5 tool.

shearing tool, a gripping iinger, means for operating said tool to shear a length of stock, and means for unyieldingly' locking said finger against movement away from said tool during the shearing portion 01. thesmovement of said BLAKE DORWIN RIDER. 

